Choosing the Best CRM for your Startup or Small Business

If we've learned anything from helping clients with their CRM implementations, migrations and integrations, it's that moving to a new system once you've got a team using one is hard work that you don't want to have to do down the road. Here are a few key features that we'd recommend looking at for any CRM that you're considering.

If you're interested in more, please check out our Small Business CRM Buyer's Guide for a review of the leading Startup and Small business CRMs on the market today.

1. Customization

With any system, you're going to get standard data types that let you create certain types of data: leads, contacts, accounts, etc... But does the system let you create custom fields and objects? If so, are all the field types that you may need supported?Everyone needs the almighty lead object, but after you’ve successfully implemented the standard system objects, what else can you create to represent your business?

2. Automation Automating certain key actions in your CRM system is pivotal as your company grows. Typically automation has to do with lead assignment, which covers assigning records to users based on certain criteria. It also can include CRM workflow rules, which are methods that you can define to be triggered based on some criteria (when a field is updated to contain a certain value, for example). This trigger will cause an action, which typically is the change of a field value but could also include sending an email or a webhook.

3. Mobile Apps

News flash: mobile is hot hot hot! In all seriousness though, it's worth checking into whether the CRM that you're going to be implementing has a mobile version. Most apps that we've looked at do indeed have a mobile app, but some are very limited with the features that they offer in these apps. Check out the buyer's guide for a full run down.

4. Pricing and Scalability

By far the most important factor, due to the amount of work it will take you to move to another system after you have a team comfortably using a CRM. Having a close look at the pricing for the CRM is the first step, but then doing some honest consideration around how your team is going to scale over the next few years will go a long way to playing into your decision.

There are other factors to consider around scalability, including contact limits, user limits, storage limits and many other sorts of limits -- all of which are worth considering when you choose a CRM.

Check out our guide, hopefully you'll find it helpful with making your CRM decision, it's a big one for the future of your business!